Items that children look to for solace, I would think, rather than entertainment – dolls, blankets, maybe a favorite book? – I think I'd have trouble taking those things away, or giving them a hard time for being reliant on. But if a kid is using a tablet as a source of emotional escape/solace then I'm guessing there are much more serious issues.

Sorry. My kids toys are mostly wood ... and with the exception of my and my wife's tablets, which are supplied by our employers and which we allow them to use as I noted previously, they don't have anything too expensive. I'd love to be able to afford to buy them nicer toys, but c'est la vie; they seem to be happy with what they have. We have the wooden trains that you get at Ikea, they are pretty nice actually, and we got a big set for about $18 I think.

We don't really have educational apps ... I should probably get some, thanks for the suggestion. My daughter mostly just uses Youtube (the kids version) and my son likes pinball.

No, not at all. That's why I prefaced it the way I did (apropos of nothing – meaning that it does not relate specifically to OP’s experience). I assume OP wants some feedback or discussion, or they wouldn't have posted here.

To be so attached to it that one has a tantrum when one can't have it – that is the very definition of a problem-level of attachment to an object/toy. If it were a trainset or skateboard I would probably feel the same way: it's causing a problem, so be very careful.

I do think she handled it well; my illustration of our family's workflow was in contrast to that. We had a similar experience a year ago, which is why we adopted a stricter schedule, which has (so far) kept the kids less-reliant/attached on the device. The very clear boundaries keep them (again, so far) from having a tantrum relating to it.

Most of us cannot/will not have the privilege to be able to afford a replacement tablet (as OP mentions re: fixing, or not fixing, the device). A tablet costs much more than most toys. Boundaries regarding their use help keep the child responsible and costs down.

I think your criticism of what I wrote may have been predicated on a misread of my tone and for that I apologize; I could have been much clearer. That is my fault and I am sorry for this.

I don't want to start a debate on screen time, but I think that in this case, if she's that reliant on it and that attached to it, she's using it WAYYYY too much.

Apropos of nothing, we allow the kids to use their tablets on non-school days/nights, for an hour or so at a time max, and only if it's not nice and sunny outside, homework is 100% done, and their rooms are clean and their behavior is good/kind to us and each other. Also, one rule I learned from Steve Jobs: never let them use their computer in their room. It's not to be an anti-social escape from family, but something you can do WITH family. Note this is just an illustration of what we do, no better or worse than what many other parents do, and everyone has their own techniques. Not judging.

Yes, the right wing was very unhappy – especially at the dipping-feet-in-water-with-a-black-man episode – and tried hard to get public broadcasting funds cut as a result. They do the same thing now with any other group they want to marginalize.

Sure. I voted for her too, but I'm not going to overthrow the new president to install her. The difference is that I respect the process and think that the winner of the electoral vote should be president, even if it's not the person I voted for and even if I believe that poor people, ethnic and religious minorities, etc. will suffer greatly as a result.

Then this is no longer America, and the intentions of the founding fathers and the entire idea of an election doesn't really matter, does it? At that point, if the majority decide that the rights of the minority are worth ignoring, the people who want a tyrant seize power and install whoever they want.

This is his job. The entire point of the electoral college – of using PEOPLE as an intermediary – was to safeguard the country from a popular vote for a tyrant. Don't you understand the entire point of the electoral college? What are they teaching in school these days?

The entire point of the electoral college – of using PEOPLE as an intermediary – was to safeguard the country from a popular vote for a tyrant. Don't you understand the entire point of the electoral college? What are they teaching in school these days?

The entire point of the electoral college – of using PEOPLE as an intermediary – was to safeguard the country from a popular vote for a tyrant. Don't you understand the entire point of the electoral college? What are they teaching in school these days?

The entire point of the electoral college – of using PEOPLE as an intermediary – was to safeguard the country from a popular vote for a tyrant. Don't you understand the entire point of the electoral college? What are they teaching in school these days?

Exactly. Trump already said that if we accept an electoral win in spite of the other person being the popular vote winner, that we should have a revolution... But I suppose you don't agree with him this time because you like the results, right? http://imgur.com/A2EK1ia

Meh. They're not nearly as good or consistent as a locally-owned place like Firehouse Crawfish. FC just opened a place downtown too, but they changed the concept to be much higher end. And I don't think the Bee gave them front page news when FC opened a downtown restaurant. :/